Trolley wheel



Feb. 17, 1931. vlGNE Y 1,793,294

TROLLEY WHEEL Filed March 26, 1928 Patented'Fe b. 17, 1931' I ALBERT VIGNE, or s'r. LOUIS, MISSOURI, .AssIenoR T NATIONAL BEARING METALS.

' 'bers of reference denote like parts Wherever uNiTED sTAT-ss CORPORATION, or 'sr. LOUIS, MIssoURr, A ooRroRATIoN or-NRw YORK TROLLEY WHEEL Application filed men 2a, 1928. Serial No. 264,929.

This invention relates generally to wheels, and has more particular I reference ,to a wheel especially adapted for conveymg the current from a feed wire to a vehicle moving with relation thereto.

The object of the invention is to provide a trolley wheel having bearings embodying anti-frictional rolling elements therein and which shall be of simple, durable, and efficlent construction.

Other objects and advantages, more or they occur,

Figure'l is an end elevation ofatrolley Figure 2 is an axial sectional View of the same.

The wheelmay be formed of brass, bronze, or other suitable materiahand comprises a rim 1 of substantially V-shaped cross-section to provide a peripheral groove '2 to receive the feeder conductor wire, and a cen tral hub 3 connected by spokes 4 to the rim 1.

The spokes f maybe of any suitable crosssection, but are preferably substantially wider inan axial plane than they are ina radial plane, so as to extend along the outer inclined sides 5 of the V-shaped rim 1. The hub 3 isrecessed to provide seats for suitable vention.

' seats of the races 7 to form a flange 9 that pro- 7 The hub 3'is bored at 6 to fit the exterior annular face of the outer race 7 of the ball bearings 8 in the ends of the bore or openlng 6. The bore is contracted radially behind the in such position by peening the end faces 10 thereat tightly against the race 7, asat 11.

of the hub 3 to forcethe material of the-hub 1' The opening 6 enlargesradially intermediary I ofthe'flanges 9 to form a lubricant-holding annular reservoir '12. A screw 13. normally closes an internally screw-threaded opening 14: that affords access to the interior of the groove 12 to supply lubricant thereto .or for other purposes. The groove 12 is preferably formed in thewheel as the latter is beingcasq the Wall 15that encloses said groove preferably bulging outwardly to enlarge the groove radially. The pinor shaft 16 of the trolley pole, of course, passes through the inner races 17 of the ball bearings. The end faces 10 of the hub 3 aremachined or finished true, as are theend faces "18 of therim 1.'

' It will be observed that the ball bearings i can be easily inserted in the mannerstated, and, when it becomes necessary to removey them from the hub 3, they maybe-forced outwardly. against the peened-over portions :11 of the end faces 10 by inserting a suitable tool through the inner race of the opposite bearing and forcing the same against inner lateral face 19 of the outer race 7. The coni struotion is simple in that no plates, screws and other parts are necessary to secure the ball hearings in the hub. 3. Furthermore, when the wheel is rotating rapidlyas it is moving along the. feed. wire,the lubricant is projected towards the bottom of the'groove 12 by centrifugal action, so that it does not leak undulylaterally through the ball bearin sto scatter in alldirections after passing therethrough. i

Having thus fully described this invention,

I hereby reserve the benefit of all changes in form, arrangement, order, or use of parts, as it is evident that many minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the following claim. p

I claim:

A trolley wheel including a hub portion having a bore adapted to receive ball races at the opposite ends thereof, said bore being contracted radially to present flanges to abut the inner sides of said races, said bore beingv further enlarged radially intermediary said flanges to form a lubricant-holding annular reservoir, the outer faces of said hubs being peened to bear directly against the adjacent edges of the races to maintain the latter between said outer fac es and said flanges.

In testimony'f h x I-hfeuiii 'faffiX my signature. 7 a I ALBERT VIGNE 

